Toy school bus and station device therefor

ABSTRACT

A toy which comprises, in combination, a vehicle, passengersimulated models to be loaded on and unloaded from the vehicle and a station device having a track part and a platform part. The vehicle has therein conveyor means for the models. When the models are fed onto the conveyor means through an inlet, they are automatically conveyed to an exit and unloaded from the vehicle onto the platform part of the station device.

[ 1 June 6, 1972 United States Patent Aoki s m m S mm A n e D E N m N 0 m T S D Wm NF u OE H T CE n mm TD w 46/40 .....46/40 Frisbie X 2,973,604 3/1961 Digirolamo......................... 2,981,031 4/1961 Bonnano..... 3,019,556 2/1962 [72] Inventor: Masaru Aoki, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Oct. 22, 1970 Q Primary ExaminerLouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-McGlew & Toren Appl. No.:

ABSTRACT A toy which comprises, in combination, a vehicle, passengersimulated models to be loaded on and unloaded from the vehicle and a station device having a track part and a platform part. The vehicle has therein conveyor means for the models. When the models are fed onto the conveyor means through an inlet, they are automatically conveyed to an exit and unloaded from the vehicle onto the platform part of the station device.

7 Claims,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 24, 1969 .lapan.................................44/101079 [52] US. 46/202, 46/218 [51] Int. ....A63h33/30,A63h19/15 [58] Field of Search ........................46/40, 202, 218, 243 LV 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEBJIJM 6 I972 saw 1 or 5 INVENTOR- MASARU AOKI (MW arm/Em ATTO R N EYS A P'A'TENT'EDJUN 6 I972 SHEH 2 0f 5 INVENTOR, MASARU AOKI BY WWW m ATTORNEYS PATENTEDJUM 61972 sum 3 or 5 INVENTCR.

msmu AOR! wcglw W 75am ATToRNB/s PATENTEnJun 61972 3.667.154 sum nor 5 INVENTOB. MASARU Aom we arm/E7012 ATTORNEYS PATENTEnJun 6 m2 sum 5 or s INVENTQR MASARU AORI 0% wamafamz %TTORNEYS TOY SCHOOL BUS AND STATION DEVICE THEREFOR SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a toy, and more particularly to a novel toy, which may be called toy school bus, comprising, in combination, a powered toy vehicle, passenger-simulated models to be loaded on and unloaded from the vehicle and a station or stop device for the vehicle and passengers.

It is one object of the present invention to provide entertainment and amusement for children by providing a toy of the type described above which is rich in play value.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy of the type described which further comprises a track adapted to be connected to the station device to form an endless track f r guiding the vehicle therealong, thereby making it possible for children to run the vehicle along the endless track in addition to the play of loading and unloading of the passengers.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toy of the kind stated which is simple in construction and operation, safe to handle and attractive in appearance.

These and other objects and features of this invention will be more evident upon consideration of the following detailed description and drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the combination of a vehicle in the form of a bus, passenger-simulated models and a station device;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a chassis of the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the chassis;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the chassis from'which an upper frame has been removed;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the chassis shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the station device;

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the station device;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view of one form of a passenger-simulated model;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the embodiment in which a track is incorporated, illustrating the state in which the vehicle is travelling along the track; and

FIG. 10 is a front view of the vehicle, illustrating the state in which the vehicle is being guided by the track.

In the drawings, like portions or parts are designated with like characters or reference numerals.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the present invention, generally designated A, which comprises, in combination, a toy vehicle Aa in the form'of a bus, a plurality of passenger-simulated models Ab and a station device Ac.

The toy vehicle Aa comprises a chassis 10 and a transparent body 1 l detachably mounted thereon. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the chassis 10 has substantially rectangular shape and includes a lower frame 12 and a box-like upper frame 13. The lower frame 12 has mounted thereon a crank-like front axle 14 and a rear axle 15 which are rotatably fixed to the frame, respectively. The front axle l4 rotatably supports frontwheels 16 on its both ends, and the rear axle 15 has fixedly mounted on its both ends rear wheels 17 for driving the vehicle Aa on a supporting surface. The lower frame 12 is also provided with a caster-like guide wheel 18 which is rotatably fixed to the middle portion of the front portion of the frame.

The rear portion of the lower frame 12 carries a gear casing 19 in which is housed an electric motor 20 for supplying the rear wheels 17 power for driving the vehicle Aa. The motor 20 has an output'shaft 21 extending laterally from one end thereof and having on its end an output pinion 22 which transmits the motor power to the rear wheels via a gear arrangement generally designated 23. Within the gear casing 19 is also provided another gear arrangement, generally designated 24, and a drive roll 25 fixedly mounted on a shafi 26 which is rotatably mounted transversely across the gear casing 19. Indicated by numeral 26 is a worm-like threaded cylinder having a roll portion 27 integral therewith and a shaft 28 extending from each of its ends.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the threaded cylinder 26 is rotatably supported, at its shaft 28, on a pair of upright brackem 29 transversely spacedly disposed on the lower frame 12 at a portion adjacent to the front portion thereof. A belt conveyor 30 passes around the drive roll 25 and the roll portion 27 of the worm-like cylinder 26, so that when the motor 20 is rotated, its rotational force is transmitted to the cylinder 26 via the first gear arrangement 23, the second gear arrangement 24 operatively engaged with the first gear arrangement, the drive roll 25 operatively engaged with the second gear arrangement 24, and the belt conveyor 30.

The upper rectangular box-like frame 13 mounted on the lower frame 12 is provided with a top wall 31 which serves as a floor of the vehicle Aa. The top wall 31 has therein a substantially L-shaped aperture 32 having portions 320 and 32b extending longitudinally and transversely of the top wall, respectively. On the both sides of the L-shaped aperture 32, there are provided guide walls 33 of a suitable height function of which will be described later. The upper surface of the belt conveyor 30 and the thread portion of the worm-like cylinder 26 project slightly above the level of the top wall 31 through the portions 32a and 32b of the L-shaped aperture 32, respectively.

As shown in FIG. 1, the transparent body 11 is formed, in one side wall thereof, with two longitudinally spaced-apart openings 34 and 35 which serve as an entrance and an exit fro the passenger-simulated models Ab, respectively. As may be seen from FIG. 1, the entrance 34 is located at a position nearest to the worm-like member 26, which is disposed at right angles to the belt conveyor 30, so that the passengers Ab can be easily fed, through the entrance 34, onto the worm-like member 26 which serves to automatically transfer the passengers fed thereon onto the belt conveyor 30. Also, the belt conveyor 30 extends longitudinally along the axis of the chassis 10 over the length substantially equal to the distance between the entrance 34 and the exit 35 of the body 11 so that the models Ab transferred from the worm-like threaded cylinder 26 can be conveyed to the vicinity of the exit 35 through which the passenger models ab are unloaded. The guide walls 33 previously referred to serves to prevent the passenger models Ab from coming off the conveyor means and from overturn in the course of the conveyance of said models.

Each of the passenger-simulated models Ab comprises a substantially frust-conical hollow body 36 with its lower end opened, a substantially hollow spherical head 37 fixedly mounted on the top of the body 36, and a circular base 38 having on its upper fa'ce a suitable weight 39, as clearly shown in FIG. 8. The base 38 is secured to the body 36 by means of a screw 40. It will be seen that such structure and the provision of a weight 39 serve to enhance the stability of the model Ab. In fact, with such structure and the provision of the weight, the model Ab can not only keep standing on a gradient surface, but also return to its normal position even when inclined by the external force momentarily applied thereto. In this connection, it is to be noted that the reason of employing such dismountable structure is because the passenger models Ab can be utilized as stationary passengers Ab, who are kept seated, as shown in FIG. 1, by removing the base 38 and weight 39 from the assembly of body 36 and 37. Circular projections 41 spacedly arranged on the floor 31 of chassis are for snugly receiving the stationary passengers Ab.

Referring now again to FIGS. 1 to 3, the upper frame 13 of chassis 10 is provided with means for unloading the models Ab from the vehicle Aa through the exit 35 thereof which means comprises a swingable plate 42 having substantiallytonguelike shape in plan view, and an operating lever 43. As clearly shown in FIG. 3,-the swingable plate 42 has a portion 44 depending from its outer end and is pivotally supported at the depending portion 44 on a pivot pin 45 supported by a pair of brackets 46 fixed to the underside of the top plate 31 of upper frame 13. Also, the swingable plate 42 has in its central portion a small aperture 47 through which a stopper 48 for the models Ab projects upwardly from the upper surface of the top wall 31. The swingable plate 42 normally rests upon the surface of a delivery passage 49 for the models Ab formed on the top wall31 and interconnecting the delivery side of the belt conveyor with the exit 35 and is adapted to swing toward and away from the exit 35. I

The operating lever 43 is pivotally supported on a pivot pin supported by a pair of brackets 51 fixed to the underside of the top wall 31 at a portion adjacent the rear wall of the upper frame 13. One end of the lever 43 projects rearwardly of said rear wall and has mounted thereon a handle 43a. The other end of the lever 43 is formed with an upwardly projected lug 43b which engages a portion of the underside of the swingable plate 42 so that when the handle 43a of the lever 43 is manually depressed, the swingable plate 42 is caused to swing toward the exit 35. In the illustrated embodiment, the swingable plate 42 is designed to receive thereon only one passenger Ab; Therefore, it unloads the passengers Ab one at a time when operated.

Indicated by numeral 52 is a rectangular panel which has on its front face a pair of printed eyes 53 exposed to view through apertures 54 formed in the front wall of the upper frame 13 of the chassis It). The panel 52 is operatively connected to the second gear arrangement 24 through a crank-like rod 55 extending longitudinally of the lower frame 12 of chassis so that it is reciprocated in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chassis 10 during the travel of the vehicle.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7, there is shown one form of a station or stop device Ac according to the present invention. The station device. Ac comprises a track part56,'a platform part 57 positioned on one side thereof and integrally formed therewith, a ramp 58 detachably mounted on a portion of said platform part and adapted to interconnect the platform part 57 with the exit 35 of the vehicle Aa to form a bridge or passage for the passengers Ab to be discharged from said exit, and manually controllable means for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part 56, generally designated 59.

The means 59 for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part includes two parallel shafts 60 and 61- spaced longitudinally of and extending transversely of the track part 56 underneath thereof, said shafts being rotatably supported by bearings 62 fixed to the underside of said track part, two pairs of friction rollers 63 and 64, each pair of the rollers being fixedly mounted on each of the two shafts and transversely spacedly disposed in the path of travel of said vehicle on the track part 56 so as to be engaged by the driving wheels 17 of the vehicle, and a push-button projecting upwardly through an aperture fonned in a portion of the track part and being operatively connected to the shaft 60.

The pair of friction rollers 64 are always freely rotated when engaged by the driving wheels 17 being rotated. On the other hand, the other pair of rollers 63 are freely rotated when engaged by the driving wheels the push-button 65 is not depressed. In this instance, the driving wheels 17 are caused to run idle whereby the forward movement of the vehicle Aa is prevented. When the push-button 65 is depressed, the shaft 60 operatively connected thereto is prevented from rotation by the brakingaction produced by the frictional contact of the push-button assembly with the shaft 60, and accordingly the rollers 63 are prevented from rotation, whereby the vehicle Aa is released from the track part 56 and resumes its forward movement.

As clearly shown in the drawings, the track part 56 is widened at one end 66 so that the end 66 is conveniently used as the inlet portion for the vehicle. The other end 67 is to be used as the exit portion for the vehicle. The first end 66 is provided with a female joint 68 and the second end 67 with a male joint 69. Numeral 70 indicates guide walls for the vehicle. The

platform part 57 is formed with a U-shaped section 71 defined by a U-shaped wall 72. This section 71 serves as a kind of waiting room for the passengers Ab. Indicated by numeral 73 is a detachable pole having a sign board 74.

Referring now to FIG. 9, there is shown an endless track 75 made up of a plurality of straight and curved track sections 76 and 77 and two station devices Ac. Each of the track sections has first and second ends having male and female joints 78 and 79, respectively, so that it can be joined with any of the other track sections by engaging the joints together. Also, each of the track sections is provided with a guide rail extending along the center thereof. In the illustrated embodiment, only two station devices Ac are incorporated in the track. However, any desired number of them may be incorporated therein by simply fitting the joints 68 and 69 thereof in the joints 78 and 79 of the track sections.

Description will now be directed to the manner of play and operation of the toy of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 and 9.

When the switch lever 20' is manipulated after setting the vehicle on the track 75 with the guide wheel 18 straddling the guide rail 80, the motor 20 in circuit with batteries, not shown, starts rotating and rotates the driving wheels 17 to run the vehicle along the track. The conveyor 30 and the worm-like cylinder 26 are driven simultaneously with the driving wheels. As the vehicle arrives at the station device Ac and rides on the track part 56, it will be automatically stopped thereon as previously explained. Then, the passenger models Ab are fed onto the cylinder 26 through the entrance 34. The passenger models thus fed will be transferred onto the conveyor and then conveyed toward the exit 35, successively, and the first one will be sent onto the swingable plate 42.

The first one received on the swingable plate will wait there until unloaded by the manipulation of the lever '43. As the lever is depressed, the plate 42 is swung toward the exit 35 and the passenger will be unloadedonto the ramp 58 and then onto the section 71 while sliding the slideway defined by the guide walls. As previously explained, each of the models Ab is suitably weighted and is prevented from overturn when unloaded onto the platform in such manner.

After desired number of passengers are unloaded, the vehicle is released from the track part by manipulation of the push-button 65 to be sent to the next stop.

It is to be noted that the toy can be played without such track as shown in FIG. 9. For example, two children, using only the bus stops, can turn and direct them towards each other.

What I claim is:

1. A toy comprising, in combination, a station device including a track part and a platform part, wheeled and powered vehicle adapted to travel on a suitable surface and to pass over the track part of said station device, and a plurality of passenger-simulated models each having a suitably weighted base portion so as to normally keep standing on a support, said station device further including manually controllable means for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part thereof, said vehicle including a chassis and a transparent body detachably mounted thereon and having on one side thereof two longitudinally spaced-apart openings serving as the entrance and the exit for said models, respectively, said vehicle further including means for automatically conveying the models loaded thereon through said entrance to the vicinity of said exit and manually operable means for unloading the models conveyed to the vicinity of said exit one by one from said vehicle through said exit,.said station device still further including a ramp detachably mounted on the platform part thereof and adapted for interconnecting said exit of said vehicle with said platform when said vehicle is stopped in place on said track part, whereby when the models conveyed are unloaded from said vehicle through the exit thereof they can be automatically transferred onto said platform while sliding down said ramp.

2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for automatically conveying the models loaded thereon through said entrance to the vicinity of said exit comprises a motor-driven belt conveyor extending longitudinally along the axis of said chassis over the length substantially equal to the distance between the entrance and the exit of said transparent body, and a worm-like member positioned inside said entrance at right angles to said belt conveyor and arranged to be rotated by said belt conveyor, said worm-like member serving to receive the passenger-simulated models through said entrance and to feed them onto said belt conveyor.

3. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein said belt conveyor and said worm-like member are each provided, on both sides thereof, guide walls for guiding the models being conveyed by them therealong so that the models are smoothly conveyed to the vicinity of said exit.

4. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manually controllable means for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part thereof comprises two parallel shafts spaced longitudinally of and extending transversely of said track part, two said shafts being rotatably supported by bearings fixed to the underside of said track part, two pairs of friction rollers each being fixedly mounted on each of the two shafts and transversely spacedly disposed in the path of travel of said vehicle on said track part so as to be engaged by driving wheels of said vehicle, and a push-button projecting upwardly from said platform part and operatively connected to one of the two shafts, the pair of friction rollers mounted on the other of the two shafts being always freely rotated when engaged by the driving wheels of said vehicle being rotated, the other pair of friction rollers mounted on the shaft to which said push-button is operatively connected being freely rotated when engaged by said driving wheels being rotated and when said 1 vehicle from said track part for resuming its forward movement.

5. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the passenger-simulated models each comprises a substantially frust-conical hollow body with its lower end opened, a substantially hollow spherical head fixedly mounted on the top of the body, and a circular base having on its upper face a suitable weight and detachably secured to the body to close the lower opening thereof by means of a screw.

6. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manually operable means for unloading the passenger-simulated models from said vehicle through said exit comprises a swingable plate for discharging the models one by one through the exit and an operating lever for swinging said plate toward and away from said exit.

7. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a track for guiding the vehicle therealong, said track including a plurality of track sections and at least the station device. 

1. A toy comprising, in combination, a station device including a track part and a platform part, wheeled and powered vehicle adapted to travel on a suitable surface and to pass over the track part of said station device, and a plurality of passengersimulated models each having a suitably weighted base portion so as to normally keep standing on a support, said station device further including manually controllable means for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part thereof, said vehicle including a chassis and a transparent body detachably mounted thereon and having on one side thereof two longitudinally spaced-apart openings serving as the entrance and the exit for said models, respectively, said vehicle further including means for automatically conveying the models loaded thereon through said entrance to the vicinity of said exit and manually operable means for unloading the models conveyed to the vicinity of said exit one by one from said vehicle through said exit, said station device still further including a ramp detachably mounted on the platform part thereof and adapted for interconnecting said exit of said vehicle with said platform when said vehicle is stopped in place on said track part, whereby when the models conveyed are unloaded from said vehicle through the exit thereof they can be automatically transferred onto said platform while sliding down said ramp.
 2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for automatically conveying the models loaded thereon through said entrance to the vicinity of said exit comprises a motor-driven belt conveyor extending longitudinally along the axis of said chassis over the length substantially equal to the distance between the entrance and the exit of said transparent body, and a worm-like member positioned inside said entrance at right angles to said belt conveyor and arranged to be rotated by said belt conveyor, said worm-like member serving to receive the passenger-simulated models through said entrance and to feed them onto said belt conveyor.
 3. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein said belt conveyor and said worm-like member are each provided, on both sides thereof, guide walls for guiding the models being conveyed by them therealong so that the models are smoothly conveyed to the vicinity of said exit.
 4. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manually controllable means for causing the vehicle to be stopped on and released from the track part thereof comprises two parallel shafts spaced longitudinally of and extending transversely of said track part, two said shafts being rotatably supported by bearings fixed to the underside of said track part, two pairs of friction rollers each being fixedly mounted on each of the two shafts and transversely spacedly disposed in the path of travel of said vehicle on said track part so as to be engaged by driving wheels of said vehicle, and a push-button projecting upwardly from said platform part and operatively connected to one of the two shafts, the pair of friction rollers mounted on the other of the two shafts being always freely rotated when engaged by the driving wheels of said vehicle being rotated, the other pair of friction rollers mounted on the shaft to which said push-button is operatively connected being freely rotated when engaged by said driving wheels being rotated and when said push-button is not depressed, thereby arresting the forward movement of said vehicle, and the said other pair of friction rollers rotated by said driving wheels in engagement therewith being stopped by the braking action produced and transmitted thereto via the shaft operatively connected to said push-buttoN when said push-button is depressed, thereby releasing said vehicle from said track part for resuming its forward movement.
 5. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the passenger-simulated models each comprises a substantially frust-conical hollow body with its lower end opened, a substantially hollow spherical head fixedly mounted on the top of the body, and a circular base having on its upper face a suitable weight and detachably secured to the body to close the lower opening thereof by means of a screw.
 6. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said manually operable means for unloading the passenger-simulated models from said vehicle through said exit comprises a swingable plate for discharging the models one by one through the exit and an operating lever for swinging said plate toward and away from said exit.
 7. A toy as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a track for guiding the vehicle therealong, said track including a plurality of track sections and at least the station device. 